MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- On Nov. 20, the Japanese government officially made the drug known as spice illegal to buy and sell in Japan.
For those unfamiliar, spice is a form of synthetic cannabis that has gained popularity in recent years. Spice is comprised of a variety of plant products laced with cannabimimetics materials.
Those materials interact with the cannabinoid receptors in the human brain to produce similar effects of cannabis.
Carlos Campos, a Special Agent with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service here, has inadvertently become the in-house expert on spice.
“I think we have seen an increase in the usage of spice in the military, because it is a common belief that it cannot be tested,” said Campos.
Up until now, spice has been seen as a European phenomenon. Although it has previously been sold in Japan and the United States, it has seemingly remained unpopular. It can be inferred that spice products have become increasingly popular with service members due to the fact that spice’s properties cannot be detected through urinalysis.
“People think you can’t test foraren’t right now because it is so new, but don’t worry, they will,” said Campos.
Marine Corps Bases Japan Order 5355.1, dated Sept. 10, 2008 states, “A disturbing trend of substance abuse has surfaced throughout Japan causing this command to prohibit the possession, sale, use, or distribution of certain legally obtainable substances. The specific abuse at issue involves substances not currently controlled by the United States or Japanese governments.”
Fast forward over a year and the latter is no longer true. Japan currently controls issues concerning spice, making the legal ramification for Marines smoking spice worse than before.
The Marine Corps maximum punishment for a service member smoking cannabis is dishonorable discharge and/or two years confinement. If caught selling or buying spice by the Japanese government, the punishment includes a maximum punishment of five years imprisonment and/or a fine of 5,000,000 yen. If the punishments are not a deterrent, maybe the purchase prices will be.
“Spice ranges from 7,800 yen to 8,900 yen; it’s only half a gram,” said Campos. “It’s going to cost you about 90 bucks to fill three bowls.”
Before a bowl is even packed, a service member can be punished.
“You can be charged for conspiracy,” said Campos. “Telling someone to buy it, purchasing it together, giving someone money, and/or purchasing paraphernalia together can be conspiracy; even knowing someone is smoking spice and not reporting it can result in violations of the UCMJ.”
Those with questions or concerns can contact NCIS for further assistance. To place an anonymous tip, call 253-3318 or e-mail fightcrime@ncis.navy.mil.